On Monday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the American military was and remains ready to strike Iran at a level of readiness “not seen since World War II.” His statement on social media platform X, which described forces as “locked and loaded,” came a day after President Donald Trump told reporters that he had suspended a planned attack that would have been the largest of its kind since that war. Trump announced that new negotiations with Tehran would begin on Monday afternoon.

Trump characterised the shelved operation as one that would have been “devastating” for Iran, adding that Saudi Arabia had also opposed the strike. He indicated that a deal was close concerning the Strait of Hormuz and, ultimately, Iran’s nuclear disarmament. The president said Iran was aware of the scale of the military threat, and that the shift to diplomacy was conditional on reaching a swift agreement. Hegseth’s post reinforced that the Pentagon remained fully prepared to act.

Viewed from Tehran, Iranian political observers assessed the American rhetoric as an attempt to intensify threats against the so-called “axis of resistance,” according to Iranian media. The reports linked the heightened tensions to unconditional US support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Meanwhile, diplomatic channels appeared active: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was reported to have communicated with Pakistan’s military chief, as well as the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, signalling a parallel track of regional diplomacy.

The immediate next step is the commencement of direct talks, which Trump said would begin on Monday. The US military posture, however, remains at an elevated state of readiness, with Hegseth emphasising that “everything is ready to go.” The dossier now hinges on whether the negotiations can produce a rapid agreement on the security of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme, or whether the suspended military option is reactivated.